TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5

THE CAROB VARIETIES

OF CYPRUS

BY

P. 1. ORPHANOS, PH. D

1. PAPACONSTANTINOU

CYPRUS AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

DECEMBER 1969 NICOSIA

THE CAROB VARIETIES OF CYPRUS By

P. 1. Orphanos and J. Papaconstantinou

ABSTRACT

Two hundred and thirty-one carob trees growing in 12 representative areas in the carob zone in Cyprus were studied.

The results indicate that there are remarkable similarities between the vast majority of the trees studied. These trees may be identified with the variety Tylliria. already described by other authors. However, two additional varieties were found in the Karpass Peninsula area of Cyprus. These varieties were identified as Koundourka and Koumbota.

The morphological and chemical characteristics of the fruit, and the morphological characteristics of the leaves and shoots of the three varieties are described.

INTRODUCTION

Carobs, the ripe fruit of the carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua L., have long been harvested as a major crop in Cyprus. The annual production of carobs in Cyprus between 1946 and 1968 has fluctuated around 50,000 tons. These fluctuations seem to have followed the previous season's rainfall (Fig. 1). The average annual production of carobs over the period 1901-1930 was 44,000 tons (Ticho, 1958), which shows that carob production in Cyprus has remained fairlY steady over the last 50 years.

Cyprus is the third larg'est producer of carobs after Spain and Italy (Table 1). Almost the whole carob produce of Cyprus ha~ been traditionally exported. The value of carob exports exceede( that of other agricultural exports until 1950 \vhen production an exports of citrus, and later of potatoes and grapes, started increasin while production and exports of carobs remained almost stead As a result of this, carobs are now in fourth position in the list values of agricultural exports (Fig. 2). The decline, as a proporti of total exports, was from 22 to 6 per cent.

During the period 1962-1966 the average number of carob tr in bearing condition was 2.4 million. These trees produced average annual yield of 48,000 tons of carobs or 20 kg of ca' per tree (Annual Reports, Department of Agriculture).

3

Table 1. The Carob Production of the :Main Carob Growing Countries.

Country

Spain Italy Cyprus

Greece Portugal Algiers Morocco Turkey Malta

Average annual production (tons)

408,000 (for 1950-1952) 61,000 (for 1950-1956) 53,000 (for 1959-1968)

35,000 (for 1960-1966) 28.500 (for 1950-1952) :20,000

7,OUO (exports only) 5,000 (exports only) 3,000

Reference

Goor et a1. (1958) Goor et a1. (1958) Annual Reports, Dept. of Agriculture, Cyprus. Mitrakos (1968) Goor et a1. (1958) Goor et a1. (1958) GOOI' et a1. (1958) Goor et a1. (1958) Goor et a1. (1958)

Carob growing In Cyprus is concentrated along the seaward slopes and foothills of the two mountain ranges 'which run in parallel, one along the southern and the other along the northern part of the island. The trees may gro\v to an altitude of about 650 m (Fig. 3). This rather sharp altitudinal limit of the carob suggests that the limitation is due to damage by cold (Jones et a1., 1958) .

Carob trees are also almost absent from the Mesaoria, the central plain situated between the two mountain ranges. The reason for this seems to be aridity because on the one hand rainfall is low (350 mm) and on the other hand potential evaporation is high (2100 mm)l.

Cyprus has become world famous for the quality of its carobs (Ticho, 1958). The main variety grown in Cyprus, and the only one recognized as such so far, namely 'Tylliria', has also been introduced into other countries, e.g. United States (Coit, 1967) and Israel (Ticho, 1958), where it has been greatly appreciated as a commercial variety. Indeed, 'Tylliria' has been established as the main carob variety in Israel (Goor et al.) 1958).

Strange though it may seem, very few growers in Cyprus identify their 'Tylliria' carobs with the name Tylliria. This is because it is generally believed that only carobs grown in the Tylliria area, where the variety supposedly originated, belong to this variety. In fact, the name 'Tylliria' seems to have been coined by researchers.

1 Mean of the values obtained in 1967 and 1968 at the Agricultural Research Institute farm, Athalassa (near Nicosia), from a US\VE Class A pan. For comparison, it may be worth mentioning that evaporation for the same period at Vassilia (near Panagra; see Fig. 3) was only 1370 mm.

4

Cypriot carob growers use various names when they refer to their carobs. A number of these names were found by Ticho (1958) to be just synonyms of the variety 'Tylliria'. However, Ticho also noted some other 'types' of carobs, which he considered inferior to 'Tylliria', but carried his observations no further.

Prelimin~ry observations by one of us (J.P.) suggested that the types of Cyprus carobs merited more thorough investigation. As a result, the present work was undertaken differentiate varieties of carobs in Cyprus.

eo en "'"" 0... 70

.....

'"0-. 6 '-' ,..... 0 SO'-..... 0... ....

'1:l 0 ... 40 Q,

.q 0 ... 30 ;-: u

20

,~

f . '-c::l . \ ~I . 400

\

.~. I· I'.,,',. \ I . . I··\. .I" I \ 1\/', . . . V

with a view to

600

"'""S Esao '-' ---'1Jc:

I · \ .',I'"I/\ / . / 00'-', I

/ \ ........ / '. /" \/'

It I CD o M o N..., ...,... ... ...

Fig. 1. Annual carob production (broken line) and mean annual rainfall (solid line) in the carob pr,oducing areas for the period 1946-1968. (Data on production were obtained from the Annual Reports of the Dept. of Agriculture; values for annual rainfall, total rainfall from 1st October of the preceding year until 30th September of the year in question, were worked out from isohyetal maps (Toufexis, 1967) by using individual areas as weighting factors).

5

_ Miscellaneous

§ Citrus

b~~~~d Vine products

~PotalDes

o C.~robs

.. .. .... •..WI CD C N ~ WI CD N ~C -I wt~ "" "" "" "" crI ..eft eft .. ""en en en en ~ crI QI...- .- .- .- .- ..- ..- .- .- .

1L

12

l'

10

8 ~

7 .S "-'

CJ) v , :J co ~

..... § 0"'"

Q. ><kl

4

]

2

0

Fig. 2. Values of agricultural exports for the period 1946-68. (Data o.btained frorh the Annual Reports of the Department of Agriculture).

6

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was carried out mainly in 1968, a year of a slightly above average carob production (Fig. 1, Table 1). All data to be presented hereafter, therefore, should be considered as having been collected in summer and autumn 1968, unless otherwise stated.

Twelve locations representing the important carob growing areas of Cyprus were selected in July 1968 (Fig. 3). On the first visit to these locations information was collected from carob growers relating to the "kinds' of carobs they thought there were in their area.. On the basis of this information, two to five sites, spaced from one to five miles apart, were selected in each location and representative trees growing in them were marked to be studied further. To mark the trees, the total number of which was 231, numbered metal plates were nailed onto their trunks in July 1968.

At the first and subsequent visits to the trees, records were taken of their appearance and habit, and mature leaves and pods were sampled and brought to the laboratory for the measurement of various characters. Limited records on flowering were also taken.

The shoot and leaf characteristics studied were: the colour of young shoots, the number of leaflets per leaf, the dimensions of the leaflets, and the venation of leaflets.

Both morphological and chemical pod characteristics were studied. To do this, 25 pods were randomly sampled from each tree. Of these, 10 were used to measure various morphological characteristics while the remaining 15 were analysed for their chemical composition. The pods were sampled between 5 and 23 August, when they were physiologically fully mature (Davies and Orphanos, unpublished data), just prior to the official opening of the harvesting! season.

The morphological characteristics of the intact pod which were studied are shown in Fig. 4.

As soon as their measurements had been taken the pods were cut into pieces and the seeds were separated from the remainder of the pod material. Each component was then weighed and the number of seeds recorded.

From the seeds obtained from the ten pods examined per tree, ten seeds were taken at random; the length, the maximum width and the maximum thickness of these seeds were measured.

For the chemical analyses, the 15 pods of each sample were cut into pieces and the se!eds removed and kept separately. The

1 According to Government regulation, no one can harvest carobs earlier than the date set each year for each major area. These dates are usually between

a 20 and 30 August and they are meant to safeguard against harvesting .of carobs containing too much water, which would render the pods liable to decay in the store. .

7

CYPRUS-C~rob m~p

'p 0 '0 20 30 I< rn , , ! f

ARE A.

1 Pyrgos (Tylliri~) 2 Dhiorios 3 P~n~gr~ J. Ak~nthou 5 Kom~ tou Yi~tou 6 SkHinou 7 LefkH~ 8 Apsiou 9 PH~myth~

10 Ypson~s 11 Souni 12 Pissouri

Fig. 3. Car,ob map of Cyprus (after Jones et al., 1958) indicating tlte areas included in the study.

pedicel

.........

j::nt e

d/)e '-, $$

edge -- groove side

edg e side ---++-+

.mlcropy II

edge I

I

I

edge height

_.... . ..... _

de-seeded pod material was then crushed in a tooth mill and subsequently milled further in a Glen Creston microhammer mill bearing a 2 rom sieve. Samples were then taken of this material for the various analyses.

From the pool of seeds obtained from the 15 pods, 15 were used to detennine the relative weight of each component of the seed, namely testa (seed coat), endosperm (gum) and embryo. Another 50 seeds formed the sample used for the various chemical analyses.

In order to soften the hard testa and make possible the separation of the seed into testa, endosperm and embryo, the seeds were placed in a 100 ml beaker with enough water to cover them completely. Each beaker was then covered with a watch glass and kept in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes. On completion of the heating, the beakers were removed from the bath and kept at room temperature for 12 hours by which time the testas had been softened and the seeds were sufficiently imbibed. Such seeds could then, with some patience, be separated into testa, endosperm and embryo. Each component was then dried to constant weight at 100°C and this weight recorded. The water remaining in the beaker and containing substances which had been leached out of the seed during soaking was evaporated and the amount of leached material was determined.

To prepare the seed material for chemical analysis, the seeds were crushed and milled in the same way as the de-seeded pod material except that a 1 rom sieve was used in the microhammer mill.

The methods used in the chemical analysis of both the de-seeded pod material and the seed material were as follows:

Moisture was determined by drying the sample to constant weight at 100° C.

Ash was determined by ashing the sample at 5500 C. To determine its nitrogen content, the sample was first digested

according to the Kjeldahl-Gunning-Arnold method (Jacobs, 1958). The digested sample was then transferred to a 500 ml volumetric flask and adjusted to volume. Fifty milliliters of this mixture were then distilled for 8 minutes in a Markhan-Hoskins still with 15 ml of a 40 per cent solution of NaOH. The ammonia liberated was collected in 10 ml of 2 per cent boric acid at a temperature not exceeding 40° C. Finally, the distillate mixture was titrated with O.OlN H2SO,. after adding three drops of Conway-O'Malley indicator (Charalambous and Papaconstantinou, 1965) .

Crude fibre was determined using the Whitehouse method (Whitehouse et aI., 1945).

Crude fat was detennined by the Soxhlet method; the solvent employed was pet~oleum ether (60-80° C). _

Sugars were detennined volumetrically using Fehling's solution and methylene blue as indicator, following in general the Eynon

10

and Lane procedure (De Whalley, 1964). In more detail, the procedure used was as follows:

Eleven grams of ground material were shaken for 30 minutes in a 200 ml shaking bottle with :100 ml of water, and then transferred to a 500 ml volumetric flask using about 200 ml of water. Then 50 ml of a 5 per cent lead acetate solution were added. The mixture was shaken, 50 ml of a 5 per cent anunonium oxalate solution added and reshaken. Finally, it was adjusted to volume and filtered. The concentration of reducing sugars in this solution was directly determined with 10 ml of Fehling's solution.

For total sugars, 50 ml were taken from the above solution and added 50 ml water and 17.5 ml 6.5N HCI in a 200 ml volumetric flask. The resulting solution was then heated in a water bath for 8 minutes at 70° C, being shaken for the first 3 minutes. It was then cooled, neutralized with 6.5N NaOH and adjusted to volume. Total sugars were then determined with 10 ml of Fehling's solution and methylene blue as indicator.

The concentration of both reducing and total sugars was determined as sucrose by using a standard sucrose solution.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In all areas visited, growers would differentiate three categories of carob trees:

(a) Agria: wild trees bearing very thin fruit.

(b) Apostolika: unbudded trees the fruit quality of which ranges from slightly better than that of Agria trees to almost that of budded trees.

(c) Imera: budded trees.

As a result of the thoroughness exercised by carob growers in the past, very few wild trees have been left ungrafted. Thus, Agria and Apostolika pods constitute a very small proportion of the total carob production.

The bulk of carob trees in Cyprus are, therefore, grafted trees, which are generally referred to as'Imera'. However, in the different areas a variety of other names may be used to denote such trees. Listed below are the most common names encountered in the areas visited:

Area Name(s) used to denote grafted carob trees

Pyrgos Tyllirisima (Tylliria)

Koma tou Yialou Saradjinica, Vakles or Vaklaes, 1 Koundourka, Koumbota. 1 Lefkara ~avroteratsa, ~atsoteratsa.

11

Agria trees may be recognized from their relatively small leaves which are parchment-like, distinctly undulate, and break relatively easily when folded. The colour of the young shoots and the rachis of the leaves may be either green or various shades of purple-red. The pods, which are thin (Table 7), mature two to three weeks earlier than other carobs and drop to the ground as soon as they have matured.

Apostolika trees comprise a rather varied group, as might be expected since they are grown from seed and are not grafted. Both the appearance of the trees and the appearance and quality of the pods may be anywhere between that of Agria and that of Imera trees. This group merits a more thorough study with the aim of selecting types which may be worth propagating. For example, one Apostolika tree growing at Koma tou Yialou was observed to bear a heavy yield in 1969 consisting of pods the majority of which were 30 em long or even longer! The total sugar content in the de-seeded pod material was 51 per cent.

Attention in this study was focused on Imera (grafted) trees. It soon became apparent that there were no major differences between grafted carob trees within any particular area except at Koma tou Yialou. Here it was noted that apart from 'Tylliria' (locally called Saradjinica or Vakles or Vaklaes) another type of carob, namely Koundourka, could be easily identified. Furthermore, it was found, as will become obvious from the data to be presented, that there were no appreciable differences between 'Tylliria' carobs growing in various locations. Or, to put it the other way round, the main type of carob grown in all areas could be identified as "Tylliria'.

At Koma tou Yialou, however, where a second type (variety) of carob was found, namely Koundourka, the characteristics of Tylliria and of Koundourka were compared so that the main features of each variety could be established. Luckily, trees of both varieties were found growing side by side, and in a number of cases both varieties were found grafted on different limbs of the same tree. Thus, the characteristics of the two varieties could be studied under virtually the same environmental conditions.

In the Karpass Peninsula area a third carob variety was identified, namely Koumbota; the characteristics of this variety were studied on a limited number of trees growing at Koma tou Yialou.

Shoot and Leaf Characteristics

Tylliria shoots appear to be more vigorous than Koundourka shoots, particularly when the trees grow on fertile soil with a good supply of moisture. Also, Tylliria shoots retain an upright position, while Koundourka shoots, especially older ones, tend to bend downwards so that the tree may acquire a 'weeping' habit (Fig. 5). As a result, the lower part of the canopy becomes rather dense, leading to death of shaded branches.

Young Koundourka shoots and leaf rachises, both of the current

12

Fig. 5. Typical TyJ1iria (top) and Koundourka (bottom)

car.ob trees growing at Koma tou Yialou.

and of the previous growing season, are of distinctly red-purplish colour while Tylliria shoots are either pale green or pale purplereddish (only current season's growth).

Carob leaves are abruptly pinnate with a variable number of leaflets per leaf and variation in their arrangement. The majority (60 per cent) of the leaves examined of both Tylliria and Koundourka had four pairs of leaflets. Koundourka leaflets tend to be smaller than Tylliria but as may be seen in Table 2, the variation in both length and width of leaflets is rather large. It was also noted (detailed measurements were not made) that both Koundourka and Tylliria leaflets produced in 1969 were appreciably bigger than those produced in 1968. This, presumably, was the result of the abundant rainfall of the winter and sprmg of 1968/69. Furthermore, Koundourka leaflets were observed during summer 1968 and, to a lesser extent, in summer 1969 to cup irreversibly towards the lower leaf surface parallel to the main vein. Such cupped leaflets look smaller than they actually are and give the tree a characteristic appearance which, in conjunction with the weeping habit of the shoots, may differentiate Koundourka from Tylliria trees at a distance (Fig. 5).

Koundourka leaflets are emarginate (notched at the apex) from a very early age while Tylliria leaflets may become emarginate only when they are relatively old (Fig. 6). Also, the main vein of Koundourka leaflets terminates at the apex, usually in a mucro, a hook-like appendage approximately 25011 long. This mucro can be felt by rubbing a gentle finger against it. In Tylliria leaflets, however, the main vein quite often becomes diffuse just before reaching the apex. But even when it does reach the apex, it very seldom bears a mucro (Table 3).

Table 2. The Length and Width of Mature Carob Leaflets Measured in 1968 at Koma tou Yialou.

Dimension of leaflet Variety

No. of

samples! Length Maximum widthI mean -+- S. E. (mm)

Tylliria 12 69±10.7 43:±:5.7

Koundourka 28 52:±: 6.1 33:±:5.1

Koumbota 4 58:±: 5.2 40:±:4.1

Each sample consisted of about 20 leaflets taken from the same tree.

Flowering - Pollination

The data obtained on flowering and flowers are rather limited.

13

1

However, it was obvious that most of the flowering occurs in September and October. The trees are dioecious. The earliest female bloom noted was on 25/7/1968 and the latest on 15/11/1968. On the latter date, however, there were still flowers which had not yet fully developed.

The flowering period of male trees appears to be also extended. Ii' For example, one male tree at Akanthou was observed to be in ~ partial bloom on 9/8/68 and still had flowers to open after 15/11/68. ~ Two other male trees growing a few meters apart at Skarinou are t also worth mentioning. One of them had completed its flowering by 22/10/68 while on the same date there were still several unopened blooms on the other. However, the types of male trees await investigation.

The necessity of fertilization for the production of carobs has

Table 3. Frequency of Some Characteristics of the Main Vein of Carob Leaflets.

Variety and location

1. GRAFTED TREES (Imera) :

Tylliria: Akanthou · Lefkara · · · Pyrgos. · · · Dhiorios · · · Panagra · · · Apsiou . · · · Paramytha. · Ypsonas · ·· Souni . · · · Pissouri · · Koma tou Yialou · Koundourka : Koma tou Yialou · Koumbota: Koma tou Yialou

Main vein terrni- Main veinNo. of nating at apex not ter- No. of samples minating leaflets (trees) ,With Without at apex examined mucro mucro

10 none 367 191 558 9 49 481 103 633

12 none 269 116 385 9 81 84 52 217 8 30 179 18 217

25 27 560 159 746 9 4 185 92 281

11 14 269 102 385 23 77 511 280 868 15 93 275 107 475 4 3 75 306 384

31 1481 140 6 1627

3 7 127 18 152

3 35 63 6 104

(· II. UNGRAFTED TREES tAgria1 . · · · 1 Sampled at Koma tou Yialou, Pyrgos and Apsiou.

14

I

been clearly shown by Russo (1953). This may be also deduced from the fact that carobs do not exist which contain no seeds (unless it is shown that these are produced apomictically) and that where a seed is missing the pod does not grow to its full width (Fig. 9f). The ideal ratio of female to male trees, however, remains a controversial matter. This obviously depends, among other factors, on the degree of insect activity in the grove during flowering and also on pollen germinability. Preliminary germination tests1 on pollen collected from a limited number of trees have shown high\ germinability. Also, it was observed that there was high insect activity in carob groves during flowering. Apart from bees, flies were observed to be highly active.

Gennadius (1902), on account of the 'small' number of male trees he observed in carob groves of Cyprus, suggested rather speculatively that the rudiments of stamens borne on the flowers of female carob trees in Cyprus must bear viable pollen, which secures the 'satisfactory' pollination observed in Cyprus. However, in no case was pollen found in such rudiments of stamens. At Koma tou Yialou, we did notice a number of female Tylliria flowers bearing one apparently fully developed stamen. Again, however, no viable pollen was found on these stamens. Ticho (1958) was also unable to find any pollen on such stamens borne on Tylliria trees in Israel.

To obtain some idea of the relative abundance of male trees in carob groves in Cyprus six groves were surveyed in three areas. As may be seen in Table 4, the ratio of male to female trees

Table 4. Ratio of Male to Female Trees in Selected Carob Groves.

G r ° v e

Akanthou

Koma tou Yialou

Ypsonas

I II I

II I

II

Area (ha)

No. ,of male trees2

No..of female trees

Ratio of M:F

4.5 17 102 1:6 8.5 13 114 1:9 3.5 17 80 1:5 1.5 2 40 1 :20 2.5 5 90 1:18 5.5 3 83 1:28

2 InclUding sizeable male suckers growing from the wild stock of female trees.

in these groves was between 1 :28 and 1 :5. These ratios are well above those given by Russo (1953) for Italian carob groves,

1 The gennination medium used was an aqueous solution of 10 per cent sucrose plus 100 ppm of horic acid.

15

namely 1 :100 to 1 :60. This is not to say that pollmation of carob trees in Cyprus is adequate or otherwise but to simply draw attention to the matter. The answer would be given by comparing free pollination with artificial pollination.

Only limited observations were made on the structure of both male and female carob flowers. However, it was observed that the rachises of Tylliria inflorescences were green-reddish while those of Koundourka were red-purplish. Also the flowers on the rachis were spaced more closely in Koundourka than Tylliria (Fig. 7).

Morphological Characteristics of the Pod

Pod morphology seems to be the safest criterion to use in differentiating varieties of carobs. Measurements of morphological characteristics (Fig. 4) are presented in Tables 5 (i) and 5 (ii). On the basis of these data three varieties may be identified, namely Tylliria, Koundourka, and Koumbota (Fig. 8).

Tylliria pods are relatively long (the average length of 1790 pods measured was 168 mm) and rstraight (Figs. 8, 9) and on the side towards which the seeds are pointing they bear a relatively sharp edge (Figs. 8, 10) which may be pronounced to a greater (Koma tou Yialou type) or lesser extent (Pissouri and Ypsonas types). The valley may be traversed diagonally by ridges (Fig. 9, b and h), which eoit (1967) considers characteristic of this variety.

Koundourka pods are relatively short (the average length of 380 pods measured was 133 mm) and straight. The narrow side towards which the seeds are pointing lacks the sharp edge, typical of Tylliria pods, and is noticeably thicker than its companion narrow side with the result that in cross section the pod appears like a wedge (Figs. 8, 9). The appendage consisting of the remains of the style and stigma is less pronounced in Koundourka than in Tylliria pods (Fig. 8). Koundourka pods drop to the ground as soon as they have matured. On shaking dry Koundourka pods the seeds may be heard to rattle noisily inside as also do the seeds inside Agria and, to a lesser extent, Apostolika pods.

In spite of the very limited number of Koumbota trees examined (only four trees) the morphology of their pods may clearly differentiate them from both Tylliria and Koundourka. Koumbota pods are fairly long (the average length of 40 pods measured was 197 mm) and curved, the side towards which the seeds are pointing curving round to the other side (Fig. 8). Also, the side towards which the seeds are pointing is, as in the Koundourka pod, noticeably thicker than the other side and bears an edge which, unlike in Tylliria, is rather dull (not sharp) because of its broadness. On either side of the edge the outline of the pod is wavy due to bulges which overlie the micropyle end of the seeds. The bulges borne on one side correspond to valleys on the other side, with the result that the pod, viewed from the side bearing the edge, appears to be outlined by two sinusoidal ;lines shifted apart but in phase.

16

i

I

\

\ \ (a)

\

I

Fig. 6. Carob leaflets: (a) Tylliria,

\ (b) Koundourka. I.~ ote: Koundourka leaflets are emarginate J.

\ -- - - - .. _, ---_.-_.-,._-"

i

(b)

(a) (b)

Fig. 7. Carob inflorescences: (a) Tylliria, (b) Koundourka.

(Note closer spacing of Koundourka flowers).

Table 5(i). Measurements of Some Characteristics! of the Carob Pod

Variety and location

I. GRAFTED TREES (Imera):

Tylliria: Akanthou Lefkara. Skarinou . Pyrgos . Dhiorios. . . Panagra Apsiou . Paramytha. Ypsonas. SOuni Pissouri. Koma tou Yialou .

Koundonrka : Koma tou Yialou .

Koumbota : Koma tou Yialou .

II. UNGRAFTED TREES: Apostolika2 • Agria3

No. of samples (trees)

30 17

8 12 9 8

26 9

11 23 15 11

38

4

6 7

~od

length

176± 9.9 178+ 8.1 155±10.0 184±10.6 163+ 8.5 161+ 7.4 179+16.8 157+11.1 166+10.9 161+ 9.8 162±11.2 178+14.4

133± 9.8

197+ 8.4

172+32.1 176+20.1

PoOd width

23.3±1.13 21.5±1.32 21.8±1.28 22/.9+0.93 22.0+1.50 22.2 +0.54 21.4+0.86 21.0+0.78 21.6+0.73 2l..5+0.72 21.9+0.84 23.5+0.59

20.9+1.30

24.4±0.66

19.8±5.16 19.. 0+1.42

Pod thickness

Edge side IGroove side I Valley Mea n + S. E. (mm)

10.23+0.81 8.71+0.85 5..46+0.80 7.61+0.76 7.28+0.90 4.29+0.46 7.79+0.59 6.53±0.53 4.36+0.32 8.87±o.85 7.29+0.96 5.. 08±0.80 7.72+1.05 8.72+0.82 5.09±0.61 8.23±0.44 7.74+0.39 5.44+0.44 7,.93+0.67 7.45+0.79 4.70+0.36 8.31±0.21 7·.14+0.41 5.20+1.03 8.95±0.44 8.15+0.59 5..57±0.37 8.95+0.52 8.22+0.48 5.63+0.36 9.00±0.96 7.68±Q.79 5.24+0.37 9.75±0.50 8.85+0.66 5,.10+0.42

9.65±0.49 7.17±0.52 5.12+0.55

10.58+0.48 7..55+0.62 4.88+0.26

8.23+0.65 7.53±0.90 5.. 02+1.11 6.43+0.98 5.83±0.92 4.33+0.71

Edge height

1.28+0.22 1.45+0.44 1.78+0.34 1.43+0.34 1.60+0.29 1.38+0.34 1.29+0.27 1.21 ±0.23 1.05+0.24 1.17+0.21 1.03+0.22 1.79+0.25

0.82+0.22

1.47+0.47

0.85+0.24 0.64±0.14

Groove depth

1.14±0.20 1.03+0.16 1.10+0.33 1.27±0.22 1.12+0.16 0.93+0.19 0.84+0.15 0.88±0.12 0.82+0.13 1.10+0.13 0.99+0.22 1.20+0.28

0.79±0.19

0.77±0.22

0.80+0.20 0.70+0.20

~ T"""l

1 2 3

For explanation of the terms used in this Table see Fig. 4. Sampled at Akanthou, Skarinou and Pissouri. Sampled at Akanthou, Koma tou Yialou, Skarinou, Pyrg.os and Apsiou.

Table 5(ii). Measurements of Some Characteristics! of the Carob Pod

Length of stigmaLengtil ofVariety and location appendagepedicel

Mea n +

2.05±0.89 2,.55+0.45 2.34+0.47 2.71+0.85 2,.58+0.41 2.49+0.42 2.29+0.36 234±0.37 2.85+0.66 2.40+0.35 2,.47±0.45 2.69±0.44

1.25±0.33

L53±0.84

1.80±0.91 1.59+0.65

Fig. 4.

Pyrg.os and Apsiou.

Pointedness

Pedicel end Stigma endI S. E. (m m)

15..4+2.65 11.4+1.87 11.6+2.0414.9+1.87 lhO+1.7416.3+2.84

15,.7+1 .55 12.3±1.31 15.4+2.66 11.9+1.12 14.5+1 .39 12,.8±1.41 18..1+2.53 11.7±O.84 18.7+3.53 12.4±0.96

12,.5+1.2617.0±2.48 16•. 2±1.46 10.9±1.10

11.6+1.0815.0±2.09 13,.0+1.85

11.7±1.21

18.7±2.08

10.1 ±1.25

9.6+1.25

15.5±4.41

16.1 ±1.61

10.9+1.46 12,.4±2.71 10.8+1.80

I. GRAFTED TREES (Imera):

- -- Tylllria: Akantilou . Lefkara. Skarinou Pyrgos . . . Dhiorios. Panagra Apsiou

I-" Pararnytha . .

00 Ypsonas . Souni Pissouri . Koma tou Yialou

Koundourka : Koma tou Yialou

Koumbota : Koma tou Yialou

II. UNGRAFTED TREES: Apostolika2 • Agria3

1 For explanation of the terms

2 Sampled at Akanthou, Skarinou and Pissouri. 3 Sampled at Akanthou, Koma tou Yialou, Skarinou,

11.5+1.51 11.1+1.04 10.7±0.91 11.9+1.48 11.0+1.05 11 .. 7±0.87 10.3+1.31

9.7+1.84 11.1+0.89 10.4+1.01 10.3±1.09 11,.8+1.32

11.8±1.09

11.5+1.26

10.8±2.17 9.1+2.01

used in this Table see

\I

• (b)

!

L ;

":'" R'J" ...

h'~

~!~I" , ..,.~ '''oj'

.. " ;;,,;L,

(a)

"-~

::.. ::: . - ·i,;,... ~

(c)

Fig. 8. Carob pods .. (a) Ty11iria (b) Kaundaurka: (c) Koumbofa

Morphological Characteristics of the Seed

The surface of Tylliria seeds is generally smooth and their micropylar end is dis~inctly and elegantly pointed. On the other hand, Koundourka seeds have an irregularly angular surface and are very little pointed while Koumbota seeds may be as pointed as Tylliria seeds but their surface may be slightly uneven (Fig. 10). Tables 6 and 7 present data on measurements of some seed characteristics. As may be seen in Table 6, there are no appreciable differences in either length or maximum width of the seeds. Koundourka seeds, however, are thicker than Tylliria with Koumbota intermediate.

In spite of differences in thickness, however, the configuration, and perhaps the composition, of the seeds of each variety is such that the weight of one seed is remarkably similar in all varieties, about 187 mg (Table 7). This is in agreement with the belief

Table 6. The Length, Width and Thickness of the Carob Seed.

Variety and location

Y. GRAFTED TREES (Imera):

Tylliria: Akanthou Lefkara. Skarinou Pyrgos Dhiorios . Panagra Apsiou Pararnytha . Ypsonas . Souni Pissouri. Koma tou Yialou

Koundourka : Koma tou Yialou

Kournbota : Kama tou Yialou

II. UNGRAFTED TREES: Apostalika1 . Agria2

No.ot Maximum Maximumsamples Length width thickness(trees)

M e a n + S. E. (mm)

29 17

8 12

9 8

24 9

11 23 15 11

38

4

6 7

9.64:±:0.36 9:.54±0.27 9.30±O.25 9.87±0.22 9.39±0.24 9.58:±:0.26 9.75±0.29 9,.61 ±0.16 9.33±0.30 9.46:::0.30 9.43:!:0.26 9.40:!:0.36

8.86:!:0.34

9,55:±:0.26

9.40:!:0.24 9.07:±:0.89

7·.24:±:0.19 3.74=0.16 6.64:::0.18 3.73=0.24 6.60±0.15 3.51 ±0.1 0 7.26±0.17 3.74±0.12 6.78±0.12 3.86:±:0.09 7.20:::0.17 3.90:±:0.20 6..78:::0.18 3.53±Q.14 6.97±0.15 3.71±0.14 7.02+0.18 3.71:±:0.16 6.88±0.19 3.. 93±0.19 6. 93:!:0.27 3.79±0.12 7.03:!:0.13 3.55±0.16

6.. 98±0.19 4.32:!:O.23

6.65:!:0.17 4.10:::0.08

6.83±0.54 3.98±0.44 6.93±0.28 3.. 96±0.24

1 Sampled at Akanthou, Skarinou and Pissouri.

2 Sampled at Akanthou, Koma tou Yialou, Skarinou, Pyrg:os and Apsiou.

19

that because of its uniform weight the seed of the carob tree was used to fix the carat, although this may not be true (Gennadius, 1902) .

The seed content of carobs, which is the weight of the seeds expressed as a percentage of the intact pod weight, is an important commercial feature because of the higher pricing of the seed. The seed content clearly depends, on the one hand, on the amount of seed and, on the other hand, on the amount of non-seed material present in the pod. Thus the higher proportion of seed weight in Agria and Apostolika carobs results from the relatively low amount of non-seed pod material present (Table 7). In other words, it is the result, of restricted pod fleshiness. In the case of Koun-

Table 7. Some Data on the Seed and the De-seeded Pod Material of Carobs.

Seed No. of weight as a

Variety and location samples percentage of intact

(trees) pod weight

Weight of

one seed

(mg)

No. of seeds

per cm of pod length

Amount of de-seeded

pod material per cm of pod length

(g!cm)

I. GRAF'TED TREES (Imera) :

mea n -+ S. E.

Tylliria: Akanthou Lefkara. Skarinou Pyrgos Dhiorios. Panagra Apsiou Paramytha. Ypsonas . Souni Pissouri . Koma tou Yialou

Koundourka : Koma tou Yialou

Kownbota : Koma tou Yialou

II. UNGRAFTED TREES:

Apostolika1 . Agria2

29 17

8 12

9 8

24 9

11 23 15 11

38

4

6 7

8.6-+-1.24 10.6:±:2.14 10.3:±:1.45 1O.O:±:1.39 10.5:±:1.98 10.1:±:1.10

9.1 ±1.77 9.3±0.57 9.2:±:1-.00 9.7±0.91

10.5:±:1.49 7..6±1.23

14.7±1.71

9.0:±:0.28

15.2±5,.95 17.9±4.18

194:±:11.1 174:±:18.5 170± 8.0 202± 5.1 184± 4.9 197± 5.8 171±12.7 182± 5.6 186-+- &4 193± 7.5 191± 5.7 171-+-11.6

194±12.1

192:±: 5.1

186±12.9 179±28.6

0.54±0.06 0.58±0.05 0.62±O.14 0.57±0.36 0.64±0.03 0..57-+-0.04 0.55±0.05 0.50±0.04 0.51 +0..04 0.59±0.04 0.62±0.04 0.56±0.09

0.88±O.06

0.62+0.06

0.72±Q.20 0.70±0.09

1.15±0.17 0.90+0.18 0.86±0.13 1.06±0.14 1.01 ±Q.17 1.00±0.05 0.96±0.13 O.90±0.05 1.09±0.84 1.07±0.80 1.03±Q.14 1.16+0.12

0.98±0.11

1.22+0.11

0.77±0.17 0.58+0.08

1 . Sampled at Akanthou, Skarinou and Pissouri.

2 Sampled at Akant~ou, Koma tou Yialou, Skarinou, Pyrg,os and Apsiou.

(All weigh~ are on an air-dry weight basis; the moisture content of both the seeds and the de-seeded pod material was around 8 per cent).

20

. .~ , ,~rr~;~?~~>A'".~~.' ~l .; .Y"' .> : :. ~., .. >,-~.,,: ~ -",',' : ......""... '," - , ... '_.... ' ," '".", "'" ••

• -',.~:, -,$."," .,..... "'':''''.j~ "

(f)

(e)

.... ;"'.

':,' _,f,

Fig. 9. Tylliria pods from various areas:

(a) Pyrgos (b) Panagra (c) Akanthou (d) Koma tou Yialou (e) Souni (f) Apsiou (g) Lefkara (h) Ypsonas (i) Pissouri

dourka, however, which also has a higher seed proportIon than Tylli': ria (Table 7), this results from a greater number of seeds per unit length of pod, the absolute amount of non-seed pod material being the same in both varietie,s (Table 7, Fig. 11).

As pod fleshiness is closely related to the rainfall of the winter and spring preceding maturation of the pods, it follows that the seed content, which is inversely proportional to pod fleshiness, will be inversely proportional also,'to rainfall. However, since both rainfall and carob production were only slightly above average (Fig. 1, Table 1) in 1968 when these measurements were taken, the figures presented for seed proportion may be considered representative or slightly above average.

In conclusion, it may be worth mentioning that the pods of an Apostolika tree growing at Skarinou were found to contain 26.4 per cent of weight of seed.

\ Composition of the Carob Seed

Apart from the embryo and the testa (seed coat), the carob seed, unlike other leguminous seeds, also contains an endosperm. This may not be a true endosperm, and it is the opinion of Dr. L. F. H. Merton1 (personal communication) that it may originate fl'om the nucellar tissue, in which case one should talk about the 'parenchymatous inner layer of the seed coat' and not of the 'endosperm' of the carob seed. Be it a true endosperm or not, however, it is most important commercially. It is generally referred to as carob gum, which is a rather misleading term as the material has little, if any, adhesive properties (Griffiths, 1952). However, it finds a variety of uses in the food and other industries (Charalambous, 1966).

Relative weights of the components of the carob seed are presented in Table 8. It may be seen that the testa of KoundoUl'ka seeds represents only 21 per cent of the total seed weight while the testa of Tylliria seeds represents 28 to 30 per cent of the total seed weight. Remarkably, the embryo comprises the same percentage of total seed weight in all cases while the endosperm (gum) represents 58 per cent of the weight of Koundourka seeds and only 49 per cent of the weight of Tylliria seeds. The endosperm of Koundourka seeds is seen, therefore, to be heavier than that of Tylliria seeds by the same amount that the testa of Koundourka seeds is lighter than the testa of Tylliria seeds.

Another way of expressing the gum content of the carob seed is the seed: gum ratio. The present data show this ratio to be 2:1 or lower and not 3:1 as Ticho (1958) suggested for Cyprus carobs.

1 Botany Department, Sheffield University, Sheffield, U.K.

21

Chemical Composition of the Seed and the De-seeded Carob Pod

Analytical data on the de-seeded material as well as on the seed material of Cyprus carobs were recently presented by Charalambous and Papaconstantinou (1966). These data refer to 40 samples taken from a number of carob growing areas. Of these samples very few, if any, can have been of varieties other than Tylliria.

Our own data on the chemical composition of the de-seeded pod material and on the seed material of Cyprus carobs refer to 229 samples and are presented in Tables 9 and 10. As may be seen in these Tables, there are no significant differences between varieties in any of the constituents determined except crude fibre, which is lower in Koundourka than in Tylliria seeds. The lower crude fibre content of Koundourka seeds may be explained by the fact that their testas are thinner than those of Tylliria seeds.

Table 8. Relative Weights of the Components of the Carob Seed.

Weight of seed part as a percentage of the total seed dry weight

No. of 1------,-----;------;-----Variety and location samples Substances

(trees) Seed coat (testa) Embryo

Endosperm (gum)

leached during

soaking

I. GRAFI'ED TREES Mea n -+ S. E. (Imera) :

Tylliria: Akanthou 29 Lefkara. 17 Skarinou 8 Pyrgos 12 Dhiorios. 9 Panagra 8 Apsiou 24 Paramytha. 9 Ypsonas . 11 Souni 23 Pissouri. 15 Koma tou Yialou 11

29.7-+-1.78 28.3-+-2.09 28.7-+-1,15 28.2±1.00 27.9-+-1.33 29.1-+-0.91 29.4±1.20 28.3±0.70 28.8-+-1,.81 28.1-+-0.62 28.1±0.87 28.9±1.82

21.0±1.17 19.7-+-1.08 19.3-+-0.62 19.7-+-0.67 18.4-+-0.61 20.6-+-0.68 19.6-+-0.92 19..8±0.81 19.8±0.62 20.5±0.66 19.7 -+-0..77 19.3±1.71

47,.4-+-2.57 49.4-+-2.28 49.3-+-1.35 49.8-+-1.38 50.9-+-1.34 47.6±1.75 47·.8±1.66 49.2±0.77 48.3-+-1.73 49.0-+-0.89 49.5-+-1.37 49.3-+-1.51

1.9±0.70 2.6-+-0.68 2·.8-+-0.48 2.2-+-0.36 2.8-+-0.57 2.7-+-0.78 3.2-+-0.64 2.6±0.51 3.1-+-0.40 2.3-+-0.26 2.8±0.37 2,.5-+-1.06

Koundourka : Koma tou Yialou 38 21.0±1.24 18.9±1.06 57.5±1.69 2.6-+-0.82

Koumbota : Koma tou Yialou 4 27.1-+-0.73 17.0±0.63 53.3-+-0.93 2.9±0.49

II. UNGRAFTED TREES:

Apostolika1 . 53.4-+-3.4623.4-+-332 20.1-+-1.75 3.0±1.286 Agria2 22.7-+-2.92 55.1±3.10 3.5±0.957 18.8±0.84

1 'Sampled at Akanthou, Skarinou and Pissouri. 2 Sampled at Akanthou, Koma tou Yialou, Skarinou, Pyrg:os and Apsiou.

22

..',.0

Table 9. Proximate Analysis of the De-seeded Carob Pod.

Variety and location

I. GRAFTED TREES (llnera-):

Tylliria: Akanthou Lefkara. Skarinou Pyrgos . Dhiorios. Panagra Apsiou Paramytha. Yps.onas. Souni Pissouri. Koma tou 'Yialou

Koundourka : Koma tou Yialou

Roumbota. : Koma tou Yialou

n. UNGRAFTED TREES: Apostolika1 • Agria2

1 Sampled at Akanthou, Skarinou 2 Sampled at Akanthou, Koma tou

ReducingNo. of I Total Crude Crude Crudesnmples sugars as sugars as protein fibre fat(trees) sucrose sucrose Menn ± s. E. (pel' cent pod dry weight>

29 52.0±3.80 12..3±1.39 17 44.3±5.08 10.8±1.49

8 47.8±0.14 12.7±0.45 12 52.7±2.60 11..4+0.82

9 49,.5±3.51 12.7±0.73 8 52.2±2.32 11.3±0.95

25 52.6±3.78 11.1 ±1.27 9 53..0±2.53 9.8±0.89

11 54.3±2.21 11.5+0.64 23 55.9±1.80 10.1 ±0.69 15 51.4±2.35 10.8+0.57

9 50.1 ±3.29 12.6±1.40

37 49.9±4.56 I 10.8±1.95

4 53.1±1.95 I 8.1±2.79

6 46.1 +3.43 I 12.7±2.08 7 43.7±4.10 10.9±1.56

and Pissourl.

4.5+0.71 3.3±0.32 4.1±0.29 3.8±0.75 3.9±0.46 3..8+0.33 4.3±0.57 3.8±0.37 4.4±0.22 3.8±0.41 4.0±0.66 4.6±0.58

3.4±0.59

4.3+0.53

4.6±1.35 3.8±1.10

Yialou, Skarinou, pYl'gos and Apsiou.

5.7±0.93 0.25±0.19 6.2±0.93 0.21 +0.03 6.1 +0.49 0.26±0.02 6.0±1.04 0.18+0.06 5.. 7±0.88 0.20+0.03 5.3±0.37 0.23+0.02 5.8+1.14 0.24+0.07 5.6±0.83 0.23±0.18 5.0±0.40 0.23+0.03 4.9+0.63 0.25+0.11 5.6±0.66 0.25±0.04 6.0±0.97 0.21±0.06

6.3+0.96 I 0.19±0.06

4.8±0.40 I 0.22±0.04

7.0±1.21 I0.26±0.08 8.2±.2.66 0.40+0.39

Ash

3.1 +0.67 2.9+0.32 3.1 ±0.29 3.1 ±O.18 3.1 +0.29 3.1 ±0.27 3.0±0.73 3.2±0.93 2.6±0.18 2.7±0.28 2.8±0.68 2.9±0.32

cv:l C\l

2.9+0.27

2.7±0.36

3.1 ±0.38 4.1±2.27

The mean content of total sugars in the de-seeded material of 22 samples of Tylliria and 22 samples of Koundourka carobs harvested at Koma tou Yialou in 1969 wa:s 51.4±2.80 and 49.6±2.58 per cent, respectively. These figures are remarkably close to the corresponding figures for 1968 (Table 9) and only slightly lower than the mean value reported by Charalambous and Papaconstantinou (1966), namely 54.9 per cent. The number of pods borne on the trees in 1969 was below average presumably as a result, on the one hand, of the above average production of 1968 and, on the other hand, of the relatively low rainfall in 1968. The small number of pods borne on the trees in 1969 evidently grew fleshier than in 1968 with the wet winter and spring 1968/69 a contributory factor. Yet there was no difference in the sugar content of the pods, at least at Koma tau Yialou where .carobs were sampled in 1969.

To take Tylliria alone, the overall mean for reducing sugars, 11.4 per cent, is only slightly lower than that reported by Charalambous and Papaconstantinou, namely 12.4 per cent. Also, mean values for crude protein, crude fibre and ash are remarkably close

Table 10. Proximate Analysis of the Carob Seed.

Variety and location

I. GRAFTED TREES (Imera) :

Tylliria: Akanthou Lefkara . Skarinou Pyrgos Dhiorios. Panagra Apsiou Paramytha . Ypsonas . Souni Pissouri . Koma tou Yialou

Koundourka : Koma tou Yialou

Koumbota : Koma tou Yialou

II. UNGRAFTED TREES:

Apostolika1 . Agria2

No. of Crude Crude Crudesamples Ashprotein fibre fat(trees)

Mean -+- S.E. (per cent seed dry weight)

12.8±1.0524 3.8-+-0.2419.8±O.94 1.8±0.28 10.9±0.7517 19.2±0.90 3.7±0.231.9±0.27 11.2±0.418 19.0±0.97 3.8-+-0.181.7±0.32 11.6±0.6419.3±1,.1112 1.8-+-0.33 3.8±0.10 11.6±0.979 17.9±0.85 1.7±0.25 3.9±o.I0 11.4±0.6319.4±0.858 2.0±O.14 3.9±0.21 11.4±0.9521 19·.0±0.88 2.0±0.17 3.7±0.20 11.3-+-0.497 19.1 ±O.90 3.8-+-0.211.7±0.18 11.6±0.8211 18.6±1.61 1.8±0.31 3.7±O.39 11.9±1.1622 3.7-+-0.2319.1 ±o..80 1.9±0.29 10.8±0.8415 1.7-+-0.21 3,.8±0.1419.0±0.79

. 12,.0±0.66 9 19.8±1.16 1.8±0.29 3.7±0.21

9.1 ±0.5335 19,.1 ±1.03 1.9±0.23 3.3±0.13

11.1 ±0.314 17.4±1.10 3,.5±0.101.7±0.05

19.4±1.39 9.6±1.09 3.4±0.206 1.7±0.26 18.8±1,.487 3.4-+-0.269.2±1.53 1.8±O.32

1 . Sampled at Akanthou, Skarinou and Pissouri. 2 Sampled at Akanthou, Koma tou Yialou, Skarinou, Pyrgos and Apsiou.

24

to the values reported by Charalambous andPapaconstantinou whereas our mean value for crude fat is significantly lower than theirs. Also, the mean values given by them for crude protein and crude fibre in the seed material are slightly lower than ours.

, Also, Charalambous and Papaconstantinou (1966), using chromai tography for sugar analysis, were only able to detect sucrose, glucose,

fructose and maltose in Cyprus carobs. Since of these only sucrose is a non-reducing sugar, it may be deduced that the non-reducing portion of total sugars in Cyprus carobs must be sucrose. If this is so, then about 75 per cent of the total sugars contained in the de-seeded material of Cyprus carobs must be sucrose.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study have shown that the vast majority of carob trees grown in Cyprus constitute a remarkably uniform group which may be identified with the variety Tylliria already described by other authors (e.g. Goor et aI., 1958; Ticho, 1967). Two other varieties were identified in the Karpass Peninsula, namely Koundourka and Koumbota, which were studied at Koma tou Yialou. The main characteristics of these three varieties may be conveniently summarized as follows:

(a) Tylliria.

The tree is relatively vigorous, especially when growing on fertile land with adequate moisture, and has an upright habit. The shoot tips and the rachises of young leaves may be either green or pale purple-reddish. The main vein of young· leaflets often becomes diffuse before reaching the apex but even when it does reach the apex it very seldom bears a mucro.

The pods mature between 15 and 30 August, are dark chocolate brown in colour, fairly long (about 17 cm), normally straight, and bear a relatively sharp edge along their narrow side towards which the seeds are pointing. The seed content of the pods is 7.6 to 10.6 per cent.

The seeds are relatively flat and smooth, and their micropylar end is pointed.

The de-seeded pod material contains 51 per cent sugar and the seeds contain 49 per cent gum.

(b) Koundoul'ka.

Older shoots tend to bend downwards. The young shoots and the rachises of young leaves are

distinctly red-purplish. The leaflets are emarginate and their main vein terminates at the apex, normally in a mucro. Under drying conditions the leaflets roll towards their lower surface, thus looking appreciably smaller than they actually are.

2£

The rachis of the inflorescence is also red-purplish and the flowers are spaced closer to each other than in Tylliria.

The pods mature between 15 and 30 August, are dark chocolate brown in colour, normally straight and relatively short (about 13 cm) and, unlike Tylliria, lack the sharp edge. The side towards which the seeds are pointing is noticeably thicker than the other side (thickness: 9.7 and 7.3 mm, respectively). The mature pods drop to the ground and, on shaking, the seeds may be heard to rattle noisily inside. The seed content of the pods is 14.7 per cent.

The seeds are angular in appearance and thicker than Tylliria seeds.

The de-seeded pod material contains 50 per cent sugar and the seeds contain 58 per cent gum.

(c) Koumbota.

The tips of young shoots and the rachises of young leaves are pale red and the main vein of the leaflets normally terminates at the apex but seldom bears a mucro.

The pods mature between 15 and 30 August, are fairly long (about 20 cm) and dark chocolate brown in colour, and are curved towards the narrow side opposite to the one towards which the seeds are pointing. The narrow side toward which the seeds are pointing bears bulges situated just above the micropyle end of each seed, and also an edge all along, which, unlike with TYlliria, is rather dull. Also, the side towards which the seeds are pointing is, as with Koundourka, thicker than the other side (thickness: 10.6 and 7.6 mID, respectively).

The pod material contains about 53 per cent sugar and the seeds, which are similar to Tylliria, contain 53 per cent gum.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are indebted to the carob growers who made their trees available for this study and to the Technical Staff of both the Soils and water Use section, and the Central Chemistry Laboratory of the Agricultural Research Institute for their assistance. We also thank Dr. W. Heydecker, Dr. V. D. Krentos, Dr. A. Louca and Mr. W. N. L. Davies for valuable criticism of the manuscript and Mrs. E. Eleftheriou for typing it.

REFERENCES

Annual Reports of the Department of Agriculture for the years 1946-1968, Nicosia, Cyprus.,

Charalambous, J. 1966. Revi:ew of the uses of the carob bean and its products. In 'The composition and uses of the carob bean'. Ed. J. Charalambous, Cyprus Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus.

26

Charalambous, J., and Papaconstantinou, J. 1965. Methods of analysis for agricultural research workers (A laboratory handbook). Cyprus Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus.

Charalambous, J., and Papaconstantinou, J. 1966: Current results on the chemical composition of the carob bean. In 'The composition and uses of carob bean'. Ed. J. Charalambous, Cyprus Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus.

Coit, J. E. 1967. Carob varieties for the semi-arid southwest. Fruit Varieties and Horticultural Digest, January 1967.

De Whalley, H. C. S. 1964. ICUMSA Methods of sugar analysis. Elsevier Publishing Co., Amsterdam.

Gennadius, P. 1902. The carob tree (mimeographed publication). Government Printing Office, Nicosia, Cyprus.

Goor, A., Ticho, 1., and Garmi, 1. 1958. The carob (in Hebrew with English summary). Ministry of Agriculture, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Griffiths, C. 1952. Locust kernel gum. Food 21 : 58-9.

Jacobs, M. B. 1958. The chemical analysis of foods and food products (third edition). D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., Princeton, New Jersey.

Jones, D. K., Merton, L. F. H., Poore, M.E.D., and Harries, D. R. 1958. Report on pasture research, survey and development in Cyprus. Department of Agriculture, Nicosia, Cyprus.

Mitrakos, K. 1968. The carob (A report to Tate & Lyle Ltd.). Keston, U.K.

Russo, F. 1953. Aspetti biologici e colturali del carrubo in Sicilia. Annali della Sperimentazione Agraria (nuova series), Roma.

Ticho, R. J. 1958. Report to the Government of Cyprus on carob production. F.A.O. Report No. 974, Rome.

Toufexis, N. Chr. 1967. The rainfall of Cyprus. Department of Water Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nicosia, Cyprus.

Whitehouse et al. 1945. J. Assoc. Off. Agr. Chern., 28 : 147.

27